Reviews

Creative Designer Pacifer Straps, Binki Clips, & Other Essential Baby Accessories

A relative of mine has recently introduced me to their new online shop of baby accessories. At first I was not sure what to think, I was concerned that she was pouring a lot of time into a new business that wouldn’t really go anywhere. Well, I was quite wrong. Apparently her Designer Pacifier Straps and Binky Clips are selling themselves and at her current prices they are steals. Her shipping is dirt cheap too, so I can see why her store is already off to a great start.

Creative Pacifier Strap, Look It’s a Tie!

My favorites are the ties. Of course, I only have Lex and so I am partial to the more “manly” baby accessories. I only wonder why no one has thought of this before. It looks great and it has class, something that I think a lot of little guy and girl accessories are missing.

Something for the Little Ladies Designer Binki Clips

For the more feminine angels there are quite a few options available. Here is one that caught my eye. These really bring some elegance to to your pretty little angels.

A Review of the Best Carrier in the World: The ERGObaby Carrier

My Only Regret Is That We Didn’t Buy It Sooner

I have been meaning to write this product review since I first started this web site. There are a very limited group of products of which I can say that my only regret is the I didn’t purchase the product sooner. In fact, I think I have said this about our Amby Baby Hammock Motion Bed, my Casio wristwatch with a built-in compass, my Sony PSP, our Baby Björn Travel Crib, and our Ergo Baby Carrier. I truly do regret that we did not purchase it before our son, my wife, and I had to suffer through all of those other carriers. I hope this ERGO Baby Carrier review helps spare you the same regret!

Suffering Through Other Carriers

Let me be frank with you, I strongly supported and drove the purchase of our Baby Björn Active/Sport. It was supposed to provide extra comfort and somehow bring about world peace. Instead of living up to any of our expectations it caused backaches, neck aches, overheated baby, pinched baby legs, sore skin around the legs and crotch (baby not me), and very long adjustment times for each time my wife and I wanted to switch wearing it. The only expectation that was met was that of the Baby Bjorn’s high resale value. Fortunately, we were able to unload it for $20 less than what we paid for it new. I expect that our Ergo Baby Carrier has a very high resale value because the very few used ones we have found for sale have an asking price at just about 90% or higher of retail. This makes it an excellent and nearly risk-free investment.

We tried some less expensive slings too, sold by Target, when our son was an infant and those were just terrible for everyone involved. I should add that my petite wife, more than I (5’11′, 165 pounds, me, not my wife), found the Baby Björn carrier to be extremely painful and not user friendly.

Web Research Revealed Rave Reviews of an Unknown Product/Company

It was my wife who began to research the web (early fall 2007) and seek out a better alternative. What she found were great reviews spread around here and there of a product and company that we had never heard of. The product wasn’t the cheapest (it seems to me that it was $92 USD at the time) nor did it seem to be marketed very much either, but it seems that it didn’t need to be because it sold itself. The web site of the product’s manufacturer did not have the latest and greatest bells and whistles (then, it is pretty cool now), but it did tell us which local stores we could visit in order to purchase their product. After a short confirming phone call, we jumped in the car and headed straight down there.

It was a small locally owned baby boutique that we had never before visited, but they stocked lots of different colors of this newly discovered baby carrier (the complete opposite of Babies R Us, Walmart, Target, etc.). We were also able to pull it out of the firm vinyl bag and test it out with Lex. They gave us a few pointers, but my wife more or less took over because she had watched some online videos already. The Ergo Baby Carrier came with an instructional DVD (which I watched later) which seemed only necessary for the side/hip mounted position (which we have NEVER used).

It Sold Itself, Love at First Use

We both immediately liked the Ergo Baby Carrier and my wife had already decided that she wanted the “camel/camel” color because from experience with other all cotton products she expected it would look the best over time, or rather that it would hide any color fading better than the darker colors available at the store (from use and washing). Now, looking back, I can tell that she was right; it still looks great 2 years later. I should point out here that the version we purchased is not the current generation of the Ergo Baby Carrier. I will point out the important distinctions below.

At this time, Lex was about 10 months old (about 24 pounds) and he fit perfectly in the carrier. The hood/headrest fit him perfectly too. When mounted in the front my wife would often sit down on the train without any problems or discomfort to her or Lex. Lex was comfortable enough that he began falling asleep in the carrier too (he couldn’t in the Baby Bjorn any longer).

Which Is Best, Putting My Baby/Toddler in Front or in Back?

Back then and even up until now (almost 3 years old and 31 pounds) it has always seemed equally comfortable to mount Lex in the front or on the back of the ERGOBaby Carrier. Of course, getting him in the “backpack” position took more delicacy when he was younger and usually required another helper. Now, at age 2.8, I just grab both of his wrists with him standing in front of me facing away from me and I swing him around and up on my back. Its a collaboration between him and I that usually entertains curious on-lookers and the occasional good Samaritan who offers to help. Depending on his mood he may prefer to ride in the front, but usually the back is his choice and for walking, shopping, and even biking the back is the only way to go!

Comfort and Security, Enough to Fall Asleep

Lex stopped sleeping in public long ago, in fact, until recently his last nap outside of this crib (or portable crib) occurred in the ERGOBaby Carrier at Disneyland on Christmas 2007 with my wife (mounted in front). This spring during a walk in the desert, in the midst of a rather active adult conversation, Lex got tired and begged to be put in the carrier. I mounted him in front and he fell asleep immediately outside of his designated bed for the first time in 1.5 years. Since then, he has fallen asleep in the Ergo Baby Carrier almost every time he skips his nap and we go out for a bike ride.

Using the Ergo Baby Carrier in Lieu of a Bicycle Child’s Seat

Yes, I ride my bike with Lex in the ERGOBaby Carrier, or just “carrier” as he calls it, in the backpack position (this is an entirely independent review and as far as I know ERGOBaby does not recommend this use, just to be clear). Lex wears a helmet and shoes and I put all kinds of flashing lights on the bike. Also I use the plastic D-shaped loops for the hood straps to hang a reflective sash/belt across the main back of the carrier.

After lots of testing, especially at slower speeds and uneven terrain I found that the Ergo Baby Carrier provided a superior solution for mounting a child on a bicycle. Rear and front-mounted child seats made the bicycle unstable at low speeds and provided my son with extra leverage to throw off the balance when he inevitable shifted his weight. Additionally, all of my research identified the most common cause of bicycle child seat accidents occurred when the bike was parked. Putting my toddler in the rear-mounted ErgoBaby Carrier solved both of these issues considerably. It also makes it easier for me to continue on my way without the bicycle if Lex falls asleep as he is already strapped to me.

Flaws, Downsides, or Negatives of the Ergo Baby Carrier

I am going to list in bullet form the downsides of the carrier and list how I think these have been addressed:
• The buckle on the shoulder straps falls down all of the time. Our Ergo Baby Carrier is not the current version/generation. From what I can see, but have not yet tested, this flaw has been fixed in the current version being sold by most retailers. I highly recommend you ensure that you are buying the current generation before you put your money out for what I call a defect in design. Anyway, the buckles are on loops that can be adjusted up and down the shoulder straps so that they can be placed where they are most comfortable for you and your baby. This flexibility comes with a price, they can easily slide down off of the padded should straps and down to the adjustable strapping making them very hard to reach when you forgot to check them and you already initiated blast-off with your child.
• The hood is too short.
  
  

  See our reflective sash addition and the annoying hood that always gets in the way

  While the hood was useful as both a head support and light blocker when Lex was a baby, it is now useless and has been for the past 1.5 years. His head now sticks out beyond its reach. It would be great it the length of the hood was adjustable or if it were removable. Right now all it does is make me want to cut if off when it inevitably falls out of the little pouch, drags on the floor, and catches on things. It is sometimes a safety hazard. I could not tell you if these issues with the hood have been addressed.
• It is a bit spendy/pricey. This is true. It is nearly as expensive as some cheap cribs and car seats. Nevertheless, if you plan to use it even once every two weeks until your child weighs 40 pounds then you will get your money’s worth. Nothing I have tried made me feel more like my son and I were as securely and naturally fastened together. Like I said, I use this on my bicycle even. Also, you could always put it on Craigslist or Ebay and get back most of your money, so this makes it a great bargain in fact.
• Your child cannot face outwards. This is true and I think it is part of what make the design work. Comfort and security seem to be the requirements that ERGOBaby was working towards with this one. Maybe they should engineer a different outward facing front-mounted one. It might actually sell based on the reputation of the original, but I doubt it will be as comfortable and might actually harm the brand.
• No product upgrade program. As you can tell by now, I really wish I had the latest model/version/generation of the Ergo Baby Carrier. It was NEVER worth waiting for, but I might spend a little more to upgrade mine if such an upgrade/trade-in program existed. Maybe I should Ebay ours and buy a newer replacement. Hmm…

Product Enhancement Wishlist

These are not flaws, but just a list of improvements or enhancements that I would like to see made to this already awesome product. Nothing is perfect after all.
• Carrying case included: It would be great if the carrier could somehow be rolled up into a attached carrying case (perhaps an enhanced hood).

• Reflective/Safety Version: As you can see in this photograph I have attached a reflective sash to my Ergo Baby Carrier in the D-shaped loops, there are only one of these in the current version so this safety hack wouldn’t work without some sewing. Would it be better if ERGOBaby sold one that had reflective markings on the shoulder straps, back, and waist belt?

Conclusions

The Ergo Baby Carrier is truthfully a product with which my only regret is that I didn’t buy it sooner. Every time I decide against taking it on a trip or I forget it, I regret that too. It crunches up small enough that it is quite portable and it is comfortable enough that often I just walk around alone with it on while my Toddler terrorizes the merchandise, wildlife, loose gravel, water puddles, grave stones, and smiling innocent bystanders. I hope you find this ERGOBaby Carrier review useful. My son weighs about 31 pounds and he still loves to ride in the carrier and even nap in it. I want him to keep growing, but I don’t look forward to the day he can’t ride in the ERGOBaby Carrier any more.

Exploring Tokyo by Bicycle Made Easy by Tokyo Rent a Bike

In a recent visit to Tokyo, one of my favorite destinations, I had an urge to explore Tokyo differently than I had before. Already different from my previous visits, I was accompanied this time by my 2-year-old boy, Lex. I had already conquered the subway and train system, knew how to decipher Tokyo’s cryptic address system, and I had lost myself on foot in many neighborhoods. So you would think doing it all again with a toddler would provide enough of a different perspective and challenge.

Well, you would think wrong. It took us both little time to find all of the hot-spots for toddlers (department store toy stores and miniature rooftop amusement parks, Kameido’s Sun Street, handicap bathrooms {because of their changing tables and toddler restraining seats}, Roppongi’s Tokyo Midtown, Tokyo Tower, and countless hidden playgrounds) and it was not long before the novelty of train riding wore-off for Lex.

Bike Wanted

At first we watched with envy mothers and children zoom from place on their “Mamachari” bicycles while we trudged along sweating (well, the sweating was mostly me because I was carrying Lex everywhere, for speed and safety). An acquaintance made at Shibuya’s Tokyu Department Store (great for kids) suggested I should just buy a bike on Craigslist and resell it when I was done as this would probably save lots of money over renting a bike. I thought their idea had merit except for two points: I wasn’t planning on renting the bike for long and bikes with child seats are rare on Craigslist and Gaijin Pot.

Where to Rent a Bicycle in Tokyo

A third point also pointed me away from purchasing a temporary bike, I discovered Tokyo Rent a Bike. Not only did they rent bikes for as little as ¥600 per day, they gave discounts for renting for 2 days or more. We first contact Tokyo Rent a Bike because they seemed to be the most straightforward show in town and they had the best price. The website was in English and so I thought it would not hurt to shoot them and email and ask if they rented a bike with a child’s seat.

The extremely kind director of Tokyo Rent a Bike, Neil Garscadden, sent me a picture of the child seat with his very prompt reply and told me that it was definitely for rent. I asked him to hold the bike for me for the next day and he immediately confirmed that we would.

Lex and I made our first trip to Naka-Meguro station and headed directly to the Tokyo Rent a Bike office. We found it without any problems, unless you count our failure to read instructions and end up ascending the wrong building as a problem. Anyway, Neil met us below and pointed out the bike immediately before we went upstairs to the office. We spent only a brief couple minutes in his office filling out a simple form with our info and leaving our ¥900 (we got a bike with gears, the childseat rental was FREE!). Neil even threw in free helmets for us both.

Neil showed us how he had outfitted his nice “city bike” to be a “mamachari” bicycle for us, with the full coverage kick-stand that is essential with child seats. He even ran back to the office to get us some maps and gave us some quick and nice instructions to help us get back home to Jingu-mae. He recommended we stick to the sidewalks and use the bell as we came up on pedestrians. We followed his advice.

A Bump in the Road

On the way home, we had a flat-tire. It must have been all of that construction near Shibuya. Anyway, we had reached our “hood” and so I knew a good backstreet to walk the bike down. Naka-Meguro hadn’t seemed so close on the train maps, but without a flat tire we would have reached Jingu-mae / Harajuku in less than 25 minutes. I called Neil and he told me how to get it fixed easily. He even offered to come out and fix it if I had any trouble getting it fixed locally. He swore he had never had anyone get a flat and I believe him, because as it turns out it wasn’t really a flat but a lost valve.

After Lex’s lunch and subsequent late nap we set out to find a shop that fixes flats and we hit gold right off. We hadn’t noticed at the time Neil’s message on our phone offering for us to keep the bike for free for an extra day or two because of our inconvenience. After the tire was fixed we headed straight out toward Roppongi and Hiroo. Our first stop was the huge, beautiful, and mosquito-infested Aoyama Cemetery. Lex loved riding through it and running around it just as much: chasing kitties and inspecting the bike a little too. .

Destinations and Discoveries

Along the way we found a fantastic playground and we never made it any further. Lex wouldn’t budge and a quick text message to Neil revealed his invitation to keep the bike for at least another day due to our troubles and delay. I was thrilled to keep it another day and in fact I started fantasizing about all of the cool destinations we could visit and unknown locations we could discover with our new wheels.

Our Only Regret Was That We Returned It Too Soon

When it came time to return the bicycle we were reluctant to let it go. Tokyo Rent a Bike had it perfectly tuned and it was probably only a few months old (or so it seemed). It got us safely to where we needed to go. It had good reflectors and a front head light powered by a dynamo. It rode great and looked just as good.

Sayonara and Thank You Tokyo Rent a Bike

We forgot our map on our return trip to Tokyo Rent a Bike’s Naka-Meguro office, but we knew the general direction and milestones along the way. As we walked away from the office and toward the train station, we felt like just another couple sweaty foreigners in Tokyo. Having a bicycle to cruise the sidewalks/streets and mingle with the natives made us feel special, like insiders. Thank you Tokyo Rent a Bike for making us feel special and effortlessly making our trip to Tokyo much more special than it would have been otherwise.

My New Favorite Father-Son Outing Shoes

My son recently got some Kamik Snowkone boots and he is now invincible and impervious to the elements when we go out in the afternoons to explore.. Unfortunately, my basic Nike running shoes leave me completely exposed to the elements of soggy grass, puddles or water, rain, and river banks. So I looked around and found a simple solution, upgrade my shoes. Fortunately, since I am a cheapskate I was able to find some Columbia Sporstwear Karasi from last season at a great price on Amazon ($22.49 with Free Shippign if you get the order up to $25 or if you have a Prime account). They are marketed as waterproof, but they don’t include Gore-Tex, so we shall see. I am eager to put them to a real test when it starts raining again! Yes, I am excited for the rain to come back! (hint: I don’t live in the desert).

Coconut Bliss – Great Tasting Ice Cream for Children Allergic to Dairy

My son Lex and I recently discovered Coconut Bliss during a product demo at our local Wholefoods. Actually we had been told about it at the beginning of the summer by a friend who recommended it as an ice cream substitute for Lex (he has a dairy allergy). For whatever reason I had forgotten about this interesting product until we came across the product demo.

First of all Coconut Bliss is not only made from a list of ingredients that you can pronounce, but you can even remember them because they are so few. For example the Vanilla Island flavor’s ingredients are only four: Organic Coconut Milk, Organic Agave Syrup, Organic Fair Trade Vanilla Extract, Organic Fair Trade Vanilla Beans. You really can’t beat that. Now, the main draw of this new product, it is vegan and 100% free of dairy, soy, and gluten.

But it gets even better; coconut is not only an alternative ingredient, it comes with excellent benefits beyond taste. Instead of trying to paraphrase, let me quote Luna and Larry’s website: “While its natural richness creates the creamy texture that people love, the fat in coconut milk is very different from other fats. High in medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) identical to those in human breast milk, coconut milk has similar germ fighting and heart-protective properties.” You can read a lot more about the nutritional value of consuming coconut at www.coconutresearchcenter.org.

the makers of Coconut Bliss state that their customers make the bold claim of Coconut Bliss being the “only dessert they can feel good about eating, and feel good after eating”. I have to agree. It taste phenomenal and leaves you feeling pretty good too! The only part that won’t feel great is the dent it leaves in your wallet, but there is a reason for it premium price: the ingredients are premium and fair trade. Also I’m not sure that Luna and Larry have yet reached complete economies of scale. Their rice and soy based competitors better hope they never do or they will be pushed right out.

The reason I am writing here is mostly to let you know that I have found this to be an EXCELLENT ice cream alternative for my son. As he gets older he is not satisfied just watching others eat yummy ice cream while he suffers through some imitation. Each time we have serve Lex Coconut Bliss he almost attacks it. He loves it. He pretty much ripped ever sample out of my hands last week at the Wholefoods product demo. The small amounts that I have eaten were wonderful, just thinking about it now, mmmmm, looking at the refrigerator, rationalizing, justifying, ok, I gotta go, there is a scoop of Coconut Bliss Vanilla Island with my name on it…

• Coconut Bliss – FAQ
• Coconut Bliss – Flavors
• Coconut Bliss – Where to Buy

Culturelle – Probiotic for Digestion, Immunity, Regularity for Little and Big People

My son came into the world with quite a few health problems. I discussed these in detail in my article called “My Son Has Reflux” and I also mentioned one the remedies that we adopted way back then, a probiotic called Culturelle. At 2 months of age we had my son diagnosed with severe reflux, but with our first visit to the Pediatric Gastroenterologist, before he was diagnosed, we were urged to put little Lex on probiotics immediately for treatment for his colic. This particular practice in Houston during early 2007 was actually conducting a study on the use of probiotics to treat colic in infants.

Probiotic: A Definition

Translated means “for life”, billions of bacteria living inside mammals that have a positive effect on the health and digestion of their host

The Science of Culturelle’s Probiotic

The doctor highly recommended the Culturelle brand of probiotic because of its exclusive probiotic strain, Lactobacillus GG. Culturelle’s doctors and scientists spent years studying the health benefits of ingesting the many strains of the “good” bacteria called lactobacillus which is commonly found in various dairy products. The found that most of the strains were unable to survive the harsh conditions of the human digestive system. However, after much searching they found a resilient strain that could survive and even grow there and they named it Lactobacillius GG.

The All-Natural Winner

Culturelle’s probiotic is the most studies strain of probiotic. It is much more sticky and potent than the lesser probiotics found in yogurts. Culturelle packages their probiotic in foil-sealed capsules and they guarantee 10 billion live cells at the time that each capsule is used. Delivery through capsules makes the Lactobacillus GG easy to swallow; however, it can also be sprinkled over food or drinks.

Real-life Experience with Culturelle

My son has been on Culturelle since he was 3 months old (it took us a little while to convince ourselves that Culturelle was better than the probiotic we were getting at Wholefoods). His colic started to disappear within weeks of starting the daily treatment (sprinkle one capsule in Lex’s bottle which he was most likely to finish-off each day. At 8 months old Lex ran out of Probiotic, we were moving, and there were lots of changes to keep track of. One month later Lex began a month-long spree of diarrhea that ended with a diagnosed milk-allergy and our starting his daily Culturelle dosage again. I am not saying that I know for sure that he would have been fine had we kept-up on giving him Culturelle, but there is no way to be certain that this circumstantial evidence doesn’t have some significance.

A year later and Lex still get’s his daily dosage of 10 billion live cells of Lactobacillus GG. For a time we gave it to him sprinkled over fruit and applesauce, but now he gets it with his fresh sippy cup of 1 part juice and 4 parts water. Most mornings he drinks it down, but if he doesn’t then he usually finishes of the top-off sippy cup before lunch. He also has had no new symptoms. His reflux is MUCH better and his milk allergy seems to ignore foods with trace amounts of cow’s milk now. Lex is a very regular little guys and as long as we don’t start feeding him dairy products his stomach never seems to bother him.

The Proof is in the Results

I am not a scientist, but I can say that Lex’s health is better than it was at the times he was not taking Culturelle. In fact, now that I think of it, his scrapes and scratches seem to heal faster than normal (no infections) and he rarely, compared to his peers, gets a cold or stomach bug (maybe once every 6 months). He seems happier all-around and so we have no plans to take him off of the best probiotic that we know of, Culturelle’s Lactobacillus GG.

How to Find a Babysitter – Sittercity.com Review

Let’s face it, after spending so many sleepless nights, fussing over so many feeding choices, and working so hard to get your child’s routine set we all have a fear, whether recognized or subconscious that introducing a babysitter could put all of that at risk. The truth is that even if a babysitter ignored most of your routines and made poor choices it usually takes 3-4 violations or omissions to break a good habit. So even if the babysitter totally screws up, your little 12-hours-straight sleeping beauty won’t permanently abandon that “nirvana” or sleep cycles.

How to find a Babysitter

Nevertheless, this is a priceless, irreplaceable little being. Even if you are not worried about breaking any good routines and habits, you don’t want to trust her care to just anyone. When you have exhausted all relatives and friends as babysitters or, like me, you don’t have any nearby were to do you turn to find a babysitter? Some turn to teenage neighbors or members of their local faith. sometimes, this isn’t an option and one might be tempted to take a look on their city’s Craigslist or newspaper’s classified ads. However, if you choose this route you don’t really know anything about those offering their services and you would have to invest quite a bit of time to find out if you can trust them. Don’t worry, I have an alternative…

Sittercity.com Review to the Rescue

Sittercity.com is an excellent resource for your babysitter search. Seriously, it is definitely worth your time and consideration. But you say, “Wait a minute, isn’t that just another website like Craigslist?” Well, technically, yes, it is a website, but its what’s behind the website and that you should care about. Sittercity.com puts all of its sitters through a 4-step screening process. It runs background checks on all of them and it even makes them available to registered members! It presents a sitter’s customized profile (including age) to you which even shows the sitter’s calendar availability and general locality. You can also read referrals and reviews from fellow parents on each sitter (where available). In fact, most sitter profiles include a photograph and many of them also include a video interview with the sitter. Try to get all of that through Craigslist.

So what’s the catch you ask? None really if you consider peace of mind and the security of your children to be of any value. Sittercity.com does charge a registration fee and its experienced and screened sitters might charge a little more than the twelve-year-old down the street. However, in the end you will be able to focus more on the reason you need a sitter and spend less time trying to find the perfect one from your child(ren). Therefore, in my opinion, you really can’t go wrong with the service. Take a look for yourself.

You owe it to your responsible fatherhood initiative to take look. Truthfully you owe it to yourself, companion, and child to take some time off and away. Take your wife or significant other out on a date and enjoy yourself. It will do everyone good and you will enjoy the time more if you feel safe and comfortable with the babysitter who is taking care of your child(ren).

For a limited time True Fatherhood readers can get a 10% discount of of their registration (see details below):

HP iPAQ 910c Business Messenger Review

The iPAQ 910c suffers from a very serious identity crisis. It’s a phone. No, it’s pocket PC. Or maybe it’s portable media player. Wait a minute, it’s a GPS… Actually it’s all this and more in very portable 5.4 ounce package. Some might call it a “iPhone Killer” or even an “HP Blackberry”. I agree that it could steal away market share from those manufacturers, but I think that it will do so, not because one-ups their core features, but because it offers similar features on a very customizable platform. Try to get that from the iPAQ 910′s competition without getting only half way before you void a warranty and violate your contract.

A Truly Unlocked Device

I can’t tell you how much I love the fact that the iPAQ 910 includes all these great features in a completely unlocked package. I’ve had mine since they came out at the beginning of July 2008 and it automatically worked wonderfully with my T-Mobile Prepaid GSM SIM. I was immediately able to make and receive calls without any configuration. And better yet, I was able to send and receive text messages and emails as well. I don’t have a wireless data plan associated with my phone service and I don’t yet want one, but still I was able to use the full “QWERTY” keyboard to send messages without a hitch. Try doing that with a Blackberry!

However, placing any activated SIM card in the iPAQ 910 and being able to immediately make calls and send text messages is just a scratch on the surface of how unlocked this thing really is. I was able to immediately log on to my home’s own Wi-Fi with wonderful signal strength. I body-surfed around on the Internet, no long-board surfing with this 2.46-inch diagonal QVGA screen (that’s 320 x 240 pixels, spare yourself the Wikipedia lookup).

Real Pocket GPS Functionality

After my little surf I fired up the pre-installed Google Maps application to test out the GPS. Well, the maps worked great, satellite pictures and all, but the internal GPS could not detect any satellites from my living room sofa or even from the balcony. I kept trying, but had no success until I downloaded a updated GPS config file to the device and then went outside in the open. The suddenly the HP iPAQ 910 locked on to 8 GPS satellites. Of course, I didn’t have a data plan and I was out of the range of my WiFi; so when it pinpointed my position and tried to scroll Google Maps the map got a bit screwy and threw an error. When I got closer to home and my Wi-Fi connection everything got great again! In fact now after that initial connection I am able to fire up the 910c, even after a restart, and connect to 3-4 satellites from my sofa.

Luckily, this is a Pocket PC running the latest version of Windows Mobile 6.1 and so I can solve my GPS mapping problem (because I don’t have a data plan) and get real GPS turn-by-turn functionality by installing some real GPS software. I looked at a lot of different apps from $20 to $200. Ultimately I found that the best option was the same one that was discounted to HP customers, ALK’s CoPilot Live 7 for $92 shipped (more on this software deal at this posting on FatWallet.com).

Truly Customizable

Remember that this device is still running Windows Mobile 6.1 so this means you can add all kinds of software to it: games, ebooks, enhanced media players, organizational applications, etc. I like to keep my scriptures handy so I legally added them free of charge using the YanCEyWare Reader application (don’t worry Bryce Yancey your donation is on its way). I chose that reader because I new it could easily handle large volumes like the Old Testament that have choked the MS Reader in the past. Mr. Yancey makes many royalty free books, including the King James Bible free available on his site. Then the next app I installed is a free one called TCMCP (The Core Pocket Media Player). This is an awesome open-source software that is no longer actively being developed; however there are still a few good souls out there making it work with WM 6.1. Anyway, after following a few installation instructions for the latest software version and Flash Pack I was able to view pretty much any video file on my iPAQ 910 and also view any You Tube file. Truly Awesome.

Responsible Fatherhood?

So how do this wonderful gadget make me a better father? Easy:

• it helps me be the hero when we are lost
• it keeps me from having to ask for directions
• it keeps all of my Outlook contacts and appointments at my fingertips; no more missing doctor’s appointments or school events
• it keeps me in touch with my world while on the go, making it possible to receive emails out at the beach (if I had a data plan or WiFi connection)
• it entertains the little guy in a pinch; I’ve downloaded his favorite YouTube videos to my iPAQ 910c (yes TCMCP let’s you do that!) for emergencies
• it makes me feel just a little happier and on top of things, which certainly makes me a better daddy.

There is so much more that this device can do, such as receive voice commands and access/edit MS Office documents, but I am still scratching at the surface and looking forward to discovering them. While I’m still loving my HP iPAQ 910c I have found fault with the low speaker volume (regular and speaker phone) and the lag in shooting photographs (from button push to actual shutter click). But I have hopes that firmware updates or an inexpensive phone dialer will resolve these imperfections on an otherwise perfect device. (update note: I complained about not being able to assign different ringtones to different contacts, but now I found the setting in Outlook Contacts, its a field there)

Specifications

Here is the “short list” of specifications for your viewing pleasure, take that iPhone!:

• 3G wireless broadband connectivity for voice and data
  • Tri-band UMTS/HSDPA up to 7.2 Mbps (850/1900/2100 MHz)¹
  • Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)^1,2,3,4
• Wireless LAN: IEEE 802.11 b/g with WPA2 security⁵
• Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR¹
• Multi-mode GPS navigation
• Windows Mobile® 6.1 Professional
• Alphanumeric keyboard, scroll wheel, 5-way navigation, 2 soft keys,
  and four quick access keys
• 2.46-inch 320×240 TFT color touch panel display
• Dimensions/weight: 114 x 64 x 15 mm, 154 g
• 3 Megapixel auto focus camera
• 1940 mAh Li-Polymer battery
• 128MB SDRAM / 256MB Flash ROM
• Micro-SD card slot
• Mini-USB connector for charge/sync or headset
• HP Voice Reply and Cyberon Voice Commander

If you want to view the full specs please visit HP’s iPAQ 910′s complete specification list.